A decision from the federal government regarding Spectra Energy’s proposed natural gas pipeline will not be made until this spring, according to notifications sent by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to residents over the holidays.

The company is proposing to run a gas line through Bayonne and Jersey City into New York City. Because of the pipeline’s close proximity to residential areas, local activists, Mayor Jerramiah Healy, and other city officials have argued that a natural gas explosion along the pipeline route could cause mass casualties and significantly damage important transportation infrastructure. Healy has said that the potential hazards posed by a gas pipeline will also hurt future commercial and residential development along 18th Street.

According to a letter residents began receiving just before the new year, FERC will release a final Environmental Impact Statement on the pipeline project by March 16. A final decision to approve or deny Specta’s request to build it will be made by June 14.

FERC had previously planned to release its final Environmental Impact Statement on Jan. 27 and make a decision on the project within 90 days.

FERC had to revise its schedule, according to the notice from Division of Gas-Environment and Engineering Director Lauren H. O’Donnell, to incorporate revisions made by Spectra to the project.

In November, O’Donnell wrote, Spectra filed “27 reroutes and other project modifications…that must be analyzed and incorporated into the [final Environmental Impact Statement]. This requires a revised schedule.”

If approved by FERC, the proposed pipeline would include 19.8 miles of new and replacement pipes, six new stations, and other related modifications in Bayonne, Linden, and Jersey City near the Hoboken border. The pipeline would then cross the Hudson River into New York to connect Spectra’s existing pipeline in Manhattan and Staten Island, supplying customers of Con Edison.

Much of the pipeline route through Jersey City would be built underground through the 18th Street corridor, near the Holland Tunnel and the Newport residential community.

Changes don’t address city’s concerns

The reroutes and modifications filed in November, 2011 are modest, according to a Spectra spokesperson – and likely too modest to win the support of current pipeline opponents.

“We are aware of the route modifications,” said city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill. “However, they are all minor and do nothing to address the city of Jersey City’s significant concerns.”

Spectra spokeswoman Marylee Hanley said, “The 27 minor route variations that were referenced in the notification are very minor, for example moving the pipeline a few feet, and should not have any material impact. These minor changes were made to accommodate land owner requests, to avoid sensitive environmental areas, utilities, and future development, and to minimize overall construction impacts to traffic.”

Among the adjustments proposed by Spectra in November, the company will cut the amount of workspace by a total of 1.07 acres to reduce the environmental impact on wetlands near Bayonne.

In one of the documents submitted in November, another representative from Spectra wrote to FERC: “[The] applicants are submitting revised project alignment sheets that reflect minor route variations designed to improve upon the proposed route described in the draft Environmental Impact Statement without requiring substantive changes to [FERC’s] environmental analysis or the conclusions included in the draft EIS…These route variations will have no impact on the scope or timing of construction.”

Hanley did not comment on which specific modifications pertain to Jersey City, although some of the materials submitted with the modifications provide more detail on Spectra’s plans. For example, the portion of the pipeline that is to be built near Jersey City’s 18th Street will be, according to the company, “constructed utilizing onshore and shallow water horizontal directional drill construction methods and equipment. The…contractor will utilize two horizontal directional drill spreads; one horizontal directional drill spread will be positioned on a 240 feet by 72 feet barge.

“This barge will be ballasted approximately 100 feet southwest of the…Hoboken Ferry Terminal and covered by a tent insulated with sound absorbing materials to minimize sound as well as visual disturbances. The second horizontal directional drill spread will be located near the Holbrook Manufacturing Company building [18th and Coles streets, Jersey City] and will also be enclosed in an insulated tent to mitigate sound and visual disturbances.”

This portion of 18th Street is not only close to the Hoboken Ferry Terminal, but is also close to the Hoboken Hudson-Bergen Light Rail station and not far from the PATH subway tubes.

City officials, who object to the pipeline current route and who want it rerouted under the Hudson River – away from residential communities and transportation infrastructure – said their concerns still are not addressed by Spectra’s revisions.

Join us for a screening of GASLAND, the documentary which exposes the dangerous drilling practice known as "Fracking" which is used to extract natural gas from shale. Fracking is polluting our Delaware River water supply with toxins – Fracking is happening in the Marcellus Shale (adjacent to New Jersey) and it endangers our water supply.

Mayor Bloomberg, Con Ed and Spectra Energy will tell you they need gas to replace oil in NYC, as main reason for "NJ-NYC Expansion Project". None mention that access to Marcellus Shale fracked gas and the opportunity to convert transmitted gas to LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) for export.

Spectra's transmission clients would ship to Europe via Chesapeake Energy and Statoil, partners listed in Spectra Energy's filing. Then Chesapeake/Statoil would transmit by pipeline to China. This is the major reason why Spectra Energy wants to build a pipeline through the middle of Jersey City into NYC to connect with their other pipeline transmission subsidiaries also partnered with Chesapeake and Statoi.

There is a glut of gas in US and the gas industry needs to get China to compete for gas with US to drive prices up. Also, Exxon is competing with Spectra Energy, Spectra's subsidiaries, Tennessee and Algonquin and others to get footprint established in Marcellus Shale for major transmission.

It's a modern gold rush of energy corporate profits at the expense of regional quality of health, air quality, the local economy that provides jobs in established national, regional and local tourism, agriculture and many more small business jobs established in Upstate NY and Eastern PA.

Spectra Energy and the entire gas industry want to barter fracked, fossil fuel dollar jobs for the next thirty years (projected output per fracked gas well) in return for all of this access.

Greed for Health.

See Gasland to understand what is fracking, why it affects us all and enjoy art as discovery in an important film.

About the film

"The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudia Arabia of natural gas" just beneath us. But is fracking safe? When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown."

"...one of the most effective and expressive environmental films of recent years." - Variety

"On the want-to-see- scale, GASLAND tops the list" - Washington Post

"Riveting" - LA Weekly

"GASLAND just might be the best film of the year." - The Huffington Post

"Over the past 8 days I was lucky enough to view 40 films...The most important film I saw was the documentary GASLAND...This examination of air quality and more specifically drinking water under attack from NYC to Ft. Worth was very eye opening." - USA TODAY

GASLAND is "well done. It holds people's attention. And it could block our industry." - Oil and Gas Journal President of the Natural Gas Supply Association

"When something emerges like Josh Fox's GASLAND, a work of art which also happens to educate quite effectively...this is why festivals, even the big ones, are capable of surprises, because wonderful things do seep through the cracks. Precisely because it was purely personal...and that it was as concerned with aesthetic matters as issues, GASLAND may also be some ideal of that cherished sub-genre in many festival circles, the environmental film, which tends to leave art behind for the topic it's addressing." - Cinemascope

downright wrote:The only thing that I would like to add to this conversation would be that Spectra should spend the extra money and put the pipeline under the Hudson. Regardless of any argument for or against natural gas, the safety of people who live near where the pipeline would go should not be sacrificed for the sake of saving some money.

Me too. That was why I became a member of No Gas Pipeline for...safety. I hope they uphold that mandate.

I got the same call last week, gave the same response, had the same regret. I thought it was an interesting study in how opinion surveys are conducted. The end question was (paraphrasing here)

So, if Spectra were to bring jobs and improve the economy of Jersey City, would you be in favor of the pipeline?

To which I said no, and hung up. I wish I'd argued about the jobs and economy point, since I think the pipeline will do more damage than good in those regards, but it seemed like the voice on the the other line was a telemarketer so I don't think it would've made much of a difference.

Perhaps the most famous use of push polls is in the 2000 United States Republican Party primaries, when it was alleged that George W. Bush's campaign used push polling to torpedo the campaign of Senator John McCain. Voters in South Carolina reportedly were asked "Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for John McCain for president if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?" The poll's allegation had no substance, but was heard by thousands of primary voters.

it's called push polling. Spectra's been doing it for a while, I just got one the other day.

It's a pretty sleazy tactic that happens a lot in politics and things like this. The lead-up and the questions are geared in a manner that an uninformed person will only get one side of the story, with the hopes that they'll support the measure, so that Spectra can later laud their public support.

A lot of times the questions are just straight up obscene, to try and pin the respondent into answering one way or the other, something like "Congresssman So-and-so let 1,000 pedophiles go free from jail last year, do you support his decision and would you re-elect Congressman Pedophile?" Even if you know the full story and you have anonimity you feel obligated to answer their way.

Bogart - I got the same call a few days ago. Same deal. I was disappointed that it ended so quickly!

The Bloomberg story: That 20% quote is an out and out lie. The proposed line ends at the ConEd plant on 14th street. That is not a "regional thing". It is a 14th street thing. In Manhattan. Manhattan, NYC. If he meant that the new line will displace gas that currently is delivered to that plant by other means and that the displaced gas will end up in parts north, south, east and west, there is truth to that.

Of course he's for the pipeline. He'd be an absolute idiot to not be. It is a lower cost, dedicated supply for the city that comes with essentially no direct, pipeline-related risk to residents.

York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg today came out in favor of the controversial Spectra Energy proposal to add 15 miles of natural-gas pipeline to portions of Hudson County and Manhattan.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave a strong endorsement today to Spectra Energy's controversial plan to build a 15-mile natural-gas pipeline through portions of Hudson County.

The pipeline -- which would snake underneath Bayonne, Jersey City and offshore Hoboken before heading into Manhattan -- is desperately needed, Bloomberg said at a press conference today.

"Only about 20 percent of the gas, incidentally, that comes through that line will go to New York City. It goes north, south, east, west, all around. It’s a regional thing," Bloomberg said today.

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy is strongly opposed to the pipeline proposal, which federal officials are scheduled to approve some time next year. Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer is also against it, as are all council members in both cities.

Healy has said that the pipeline would jeopardize residents' safety and put future development in Jersey City at risk. He also contends it will only benefit Manhattan.

The pipeline proposal was the subject of heated debate in New York and Jersey City in recent weeks. Spectra Energy officials insist it would be the safest pipeline in North America.

The only thing that I would like to add to this conversation would be that Spectra should spend the extra money and put the pipeline under the Hudson. Regardless of any argument for or against natural gas, the safety of people who live near where the pipeline would go should not be sacrificed for the sake of saving some money.

By MIREYA NAVARRO (New York Times) -- A debate that pits energy needs against safety risks is playing out in the New York region as federal officials weigh approval of a natural gas pipeline that would terminate in the West Village in Manhattan. The $850 million project, developed by Spectra Energy of Houston, calls for 15 miles of new pipeline to run from Staten Island to Bayonne and Jersey City before crossing into Manhattan.Five miles of pipeline between Staten Island and Linden, N.J., would also be replaced. The new pipeline, the first major one to be built in New York City in decades, has drawn firm support from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and barely a shrug from environmental groups. But with a decision by federal regulators expected early next year, an opposition campaign is gaining some heft. Critics of the natural gas drilling method known as fracking have also leapt into the fray, arguing that the pipeline would abet an environmental ill by carrying some gas extracted through fracking. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, whose approval is needed for the pipeline’s construction, is receiving public comment through Monday. At a raucous public meeting it held last week in Greenwich Village, more than 300 antidrilling and Occupy Wall Street protesters joined forces to assail the project. “You’re about to mainline an ecological disaster for the rest of the state,” the actor Mark Ruffalo, the celebrity face of the antifracking movement, said to a standing ovation. “I’m begging you people to stand up for something that’s bigger than our bureaucratic system.” Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy of Jersey City has steadily denounced the project, saying it would threaten some prime development areas and jeopardize the safety of many of the city’s nearly 250,000 residents. He also asks why six miles of the pipeline would run through Jersey City but only graze Manhattan, given that New York City has greater fuel needs and would be the main beneficiary. “We run all the risk, and our friends to the east get all the benefit,” Mr. Healy said in an interview on Tuesday. In the West Village, residents only recently began mobilizing against the pipeline, citing accidental gas line explosions elsewhere, like the one that killed eight people and burned down dozens of homes last year in San Bruno, Calif. Many seem incredulous that such a project could even skirt their upscale neighborhood, where the meatpacking district was recently gentrified, lush green spaces have been added and ground has been broken on a new Whitney Museum of American Art. “Why would you develop Hudson River Park if you were going to do this?” Christy Robb, who lives on West Fourth Street, asked in an interview. Spectra points out that the project has undergone several revisions to meet safety concerns and that it now exceeds federal requirements for pipeline safety. “We’re committed to building one of the safest pipelines in the country,” Marylee Henley, a spokeswoman for the company, said. The federal energy commission has already concluded in an environmental review that any adverse impacts could be reduced “to less than significant” levels and has recommended approval. Mayor Bloomberg supports the pipeline as a cleaner and greener alternative to dirty heating oil, which thousands of buildings are expected to phase out under tightened city regulations over the next few years. While some will simply switch to a cleaner oil, others are expected eventually to make the transition to natural gas, which creates fewer emissions than oil and is now at historically low prices. “In terms of cleaning up the city’s energy supply, this is a great investment,” Mr. Bloomberg’s deputy for operations, Caswell F. Holloway, said of the pipeline. New York City officials call the need for additional natural gas supplies critical, with two other interstate pipelines connecting to the city’s underground distribution grid already operating at or near full capacity. Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey expressed “serious concerns” about the pipeline early this year but has not taken a public position on the project, which is expected to create 1,400 new construction jobs but will also pass by some highly populated residential neighborhoods, particularly in Jersey City. The Spectra pipeline, up to 42 inches in diameter, would cross the Hudson River from Hoboken to the West Village, connecting with Consolidated Edison’s distribution system beneath West Street via the Gansevoort Peninsula. It will range from 6 to 200 feet below ground. Spectra says the pipeline will be built in segments of 200 feet each. Construction will rip up roads and disrupt traffic for weeks at a time, the company said, but over 60 percent of the pipeline will be laid in areas where industrial infrastructure, like other pipelines and railroad tracks, already exists above and below ground. The pipeline would transport up to 800 million cubic feet of gas a day. The company says that 20 percent of the gas has already been reserved by Con Edison to meet the demand in New York City and that the rest will be available to the metropolitan region as demand rises. Gusti Bogok, a West Village neighbor and a member of the Sierra Club’s Atlantic chapter, said that natural gas posed dangers, including radon contamination, and that New York should be moving toward renewable energy sources rather than creating more demand for a fossil fuel. “We need a comprehensive plan with different options — biofuels, energy reduction programs, retrofitting,” she said.“That’s where the effort needs to go.”

Jersey City City Council meetings may seem like cage matches at times, but members of the combative body were all on one side tonight, opposed to the Spectra Energy natural-gas pipeline.

The proposal, which is the subject of a public hearing at Ferris High School tonight that is still dragging on three hours after it began, has unified members of the council who are more accustomed to trading barbs inside City Hall.Political foes Mayor Jerramiah Healy and Downtown Councilman Steve Fulop, who reached a détente earlier this year to oppose Port Authority toll and fare hikes, agree again on the pipeline proposal.

The plan would add about 20 miles of pipeline underneath portions of Bayonne, Jersey City and offshore Hoboken. Healy has been vocally opposed to the project since it was first announced, saying densely populated Jersey City would be devastated by a pipeline explosion.

“The safety of our citizens is going to be put in terrible jeopardy” by the pipeline, Healy said tonight.Fulop agreed: “The people who know best know this isn’t right.”

Councilman-at-Large Ray Velazquez, heard recently threatening to sue Fulop during a council meeting, also spoke out against the pipeline.

Fulop, who is gunning for Healy’s job in 2013, acknowledged that Jersey City politics can be “a very rough-and-tumble, bare-knuckle sport,” making tonight’s show of unity even more astonishing.

“There are very few issues that have united the city like this,” he said.

The only point I think wasn't made was to hold Spectra and FERC to the real cost of the risk to JC. Spectra call the pipeline "safe" in their ads. Do they have anything independent to back that up, such as an insurance quote from, say, Lloyds?

Spectra are using the FERC rubberstamp to guarantee a public bailout (TARP) if there is something like a major explosion. Spectra and FERC should prove it's safe by getting an independent risk assessment from a major insurer. And not some dumbass ads.

At this point it's not "what might happen". If ALL of you against the pipeline don't become a Member of NO gas Pipeline. you've done nothing to Stop Spectra.

"Its All just polite conversation".

Why? simple. Only NO Gas Pipeline has stated from the start we will Sue FERC in Federal Court to Stop Spectra's pipeline. They are more afraid of us than city as we have no asets and thus nothing to lose.

I don't care if you give us only a buck, $1, just check off "Unemployed" even if you're not, or just a cheap %$#@, as we need ALL of you to show thw Federal Judge we have Members.

How many Members are enough? Nobody knows as this is history in the making. All we know is the more the better.

Jersey City officials say the federal regulators charged with approving Spectra Energy’s proposed natural gas pipeline are simply taking the Texas-based energy giant at its word when it comes to possible safety and environmental impacts that Jersey City could face from the pipeline.

The draft Environmental Impact Statement released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has “too much reliance … on representations made by the applicant, Spectra Energy,” Mayor Jerramiah Healy said at a Tuesday afternoon press conference.

“I’m here today to re-declare our opposition to the Spectra pipeline,” Healy said of the pipeline that would run from “the south end of our city almost all the way up to the northern end.” Citing both the close-to-home pipeline explosion in Edison 15 years ago and the more recent San Bruno, California explosion, Healy called into question the supposed safety of gas pipelines. Even in relatively lightly-populated area the damage was devastating, he said.

“As bad as they were, it was not in a densely populated area like Jersey City,” Healy said. “If an explosion happened here the consequences would be catastrophic.”

The half-hour press conference reiterated the city’s two-year opposition to the natural gas pipeline’s proposed route — which would run 6.5 miles through some of the city’s densest residential and commercial areas, as well as by mass transit points like the ferry, PATH and light rail– and called on Gov. Chris Christie to file an intervener with FERC before the October 31 deadline.

Healy also called into question the “disrespectful” double-standards in Spectra’s proposal, which would push gas through Jersey City at 1,200 lbs per square inch, yet reduce that rate to 350 lbs per square inch once it reaches New York City.

“They get the benefit with the reduced risk,” he said. “It’s outrageous.”

Alongside Healy was Emergency Management and Homeland Security director Sergeant W. Greg Kierce and Bob Cotter, the director of City Planning, who expounded on the city’s concerns.

Kierce noted that the federal Department of Homeland Security has “identified Tier 1 and Tier 2 threats” in the city such as the PATH, light rail, Holland Tunnel and the New Jersey Turnpike that will be at risk due to the pipeline.

“These are part of the regional planning for evacuation,” he said. “An explosion may cut off these exit routes.”

Kierce also said Spectra, in its federal filings, has painted a sunny — though not necessarily accurate — safety assessment.

“Spectra has been more speculative than factual,” he said. “It’s a recipe for disaster.”

But Spectra spokeswoman Marylee Hanley says the company is working with local government and advocates to make sure the pipeline will be safe, pointing to the “more than 300 meetings” that have been held thus far.

“We are committed to building one of the safest natural gas pipelines in the country and have demonstrated that by the numerous safety enhancements we have made that exceed federal requirements,” she says. “Our goal continues to be an open dialogue with Mayor Healy and other local officials to ensure public safety, create jobs and deliver affordable, clean and domestic natural gas to New Jersey and New York.”

But at yesterday’s press conference, Cotter highlighted what he considered to be the inevitable negative economic consequences of the pipeline, including devaluing property and driving away potential investors.

Describing the city’s economic growth since 1980, in particular the resurgence of development Downtown, as a “remarkable turnaround,” Cotter said much of the rest of the city is now following suit but would suffer if the pipeline is approved.

“Spectra can’t see the future of the city,” he said, projecting the city would lose $26 million in tax revenue based on current and proposed projects. The city also estimates that 11,141 jobs would be “lost” due to the loss of development if the pipeline were to be constructed.

In FERC’s draft Environmental Impact Statement, released in September, the commission suggested the biggest environmental impact would likely occur during the construction of the pipeline. The findings also said safety issues were adequately addressed.

“We have reviewed FERC’s Environmental Impact Statement and feel that our repeated safety, environmental and economic development concerns have been ignored, including detailed filings the city submitted in June,” Mayor Healy said in a prepared statement made available yesterday. “We want FERC to fully consider the alternative routes for this project and to recognize the severe public safety risk associated with running this pipeline through a city as dense as Jersey City.”

The administration also released a public service announcement video (see below) as part of its press conference yesterday, making much the same case as the mayor did in person. There is a public meeting on the FERC report on Wednesday, October 19 at 7 pm, at Ferris High School in Jersey City (35 Colgate Street).

thinkb4speaking wrote:Gov. Chris Christie has also previously stated that he has serious objections to the proposal.

Anyone know the specifics on this part of the 1010 WINS piece? I would have thought Christie was in favor of, or at least neutral on, the pipeline issue. Doesn't affect anyone in the part of Jersey he really cares about. Plus, to be considered for national office eventually as a republican you cannot antagonize Oil & Gas.

Gov Christie may have objections but he has yet to file for intervener status. If he doesn't do so before end Oct then his office will have no say in the decision. Please make sure you contact him and ask him to file.

thinkb4speaking wrote:Gov. Chris Christie has also previously stated that he has serious objections to the proposal.

Anyone know the specifics on this part of the 1010 WINS piece? I would have thought Christie was in favor of, or at least neutral on, the pipeline issue. Doesn't affect anyone in the part of Jersey he really cares about. Plus, to be considered for national office eventually as a republican you cannot antagonize Oil & Gas.

That is the reaction of many elected officials, activists, safety advocates and state agencies to a proposed natural gas pipeline that Spectra Energy Corp. wants to build.

However, the opposition to the 15.5-mile pipeline that would run from Staten Island through Bayonne, Jersey City, and Hoboken, before the gas is shipped under the Hudson River into the West Village, is more than just a knee-jerk reaction.

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, along with Jersey City OEM Director Greg Kierce, was sounding the alarm Tuesday because of concerns of the proposal’s proximity to schools, hospitals, PATH trains, the Holland Tunnel and other infrastructure.

Kierce said he was also worried about a worst-case scenario if something were to go wrong.

“The potential loss of life, serious injuries and damages to property and critical infrastructure as a result of a breach, would have catastrophic events,” he said.

In a statement, Spectra Energy said that it is “committed to building one of the safest natural gas pipelines in the country and have demonstrated that by the numerous safety enhancements we have made that exceed federal requirements.”

“Our goal continues to be an open dialogue with Mayor Healy and other local officials to ensure public safety, create jobs and deliver affordable, clean and domestic natural gas to New Jersey and New York,” the statement read.

Healy, however, believes officials are choosing to put hundreds of thousands of people at risk if they move forward with the proposal. He said he has been told that building the pipeline entirely under the Hudson would just be too expensive.

“It’s really about the safety of our citizens,” Healy said while urging federal regulators to step in.

Opponents have also expressed concern about the excavation of earth and presence of construction equipment that could cause environmental damage.

Gov. Chris Christie has also previously stated that he has serious objections to the proposal.

Spectra, meanwhile, maintains that the proposal is safe and that any impact on the environment would only be temporary.

What are your thoughts on the proposed pipeline? Share your thoughts in the comments section…

On September 9, 2011, the staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission(FERC or Commission) issued the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (draft EIS) for the proposed New Jersey - New York Expansion Project (NJ-NY Project or Project) and mailed it to resource and land management agencies, interested organizations, and individuals. The draft EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the NJ-NY Project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).

Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS may do so. The public comment deadline is October 31, 2011. In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, FERC staff invites you to attend one of the public comment meetings conducted in the Project area, scheduled as follows:

The locations and times of these meetings will also be posted on the Commission’s calendar located at http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other relevant information. Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend the public comment meetings and present oral comments on the draft EIS. A transcript of the meetings will be prepared and submitted to the docket for public review.

We expect to have numerous attendees and speakers at the meetings. Based on the attendance at previous meetings, commentors may be required to limit verbal presentations to 5 minutes or less; therefore, we request you structure your comments so that they are as specific and concise as possible. This will allow us to accommodate all who are interested in speaking. If you would prefer, you may submit written comments att he public meeting or directly to the FERC docket at your convenience. Oral comments will not receive greater attention than written comments. We will address oral and written comments equally.

The draft EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and is available for distribution and public inspection at:

CD-ROM copies of the draft EIS were mailed to federal, state, and local agencies;public interest groups; individuals who requested a copy of the draft EIS or provided comments during scoping; libraries and newspapers in the Project area; and parties to this proceeding. Hard copy versions of the draft EIS were mailed to those specifically requesting them. A limited number of hard copies and CD-ROMs are available from the Public Reference Room identified above.

Please note that copies of the CD-ROM were mailed with a postcard thatincluded a docket number for Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC that wasincorrect. There is only one docket number for the Project: CP11-56-000.

Additional information about the Project is available from the Commission’sOffice of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC or on the FERC (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on “General Search,” and enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., CP11-56). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FercOnline Support@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208-3676; for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.

In addition, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription that allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.

srg1 wrote:I don't mean to be defeatist, but FERC is clearly going to grant this. FERC seems unconcerned with any of the potential problems.

NIO Gas pipeline was formed from the beginning knowing that FERC would rubber stamp approval. The fight is not persuading FERC, whogets funding from the industry to regulate and it's a swinging door between K Street lobbyists in DC and FERC/Spectra/Gas/Oil industry. No it's about NGP proving to Federal Court that we have standing representing you and others in JC if we have to sue FERC in Federal Court which is only way to beat Spectra.

That and delaying their gas-on date of Nov 2013 with Con Ed.

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